Before you plan the private conference that you are going to have with a staff member whose behavior has been consistently negative, disruptive, or inappropriate, have clearly in mind your purposes. Yes, you want to change this behavior, but you also want more than that. You want a positive working relationship going forward. So before you plan the meeting, let's think about your purposes:
1. To change the negative behaviors (This is the primary purpose.)
2. To understand why those behaviors were happening (Understanding comes before change.)
3. To have the staff member understand how his/her behaviors impact the work environment (Often the person has not thought about his/her impact on others.)
4. To provide the support needed to change the behaviors (This means that you are both still on the same side, working for the same thing, rather than opposing forces.)
5. To clarify your expectations for the future (Reinforce your primary purpose.)
6. To reach agreement and mutual understanding (Ensure that you both have the same understanding of what will happen going forward.)
7. To maintain positive relationships
In a school environment, teachers are committed to human growth and development. They want not only the children but also the adults to be held to high standards and to be treated fairly and with understanding. As the new principal, you are the principal teacher and you will model your expectations for how your staff will treat each other as well as how they will treat the children. There is no more powerful demonstration of your values in this regard than when you hold a disciplinary conference with a teacher.
There is a bottom line, of course. On some occasions, a staff member will not respond to anything less than an ultimatum, but this, you will find, is the staff member that is unsuited for your school. And that is another subject altogether.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Holding Staff Accountable
As the new principal, you have the responsibility to hold people accountable for their performance. No one else in the school can do this. You will develop skills in conducting difficult conversations with professional staff, delivering specific direction, providing effective support, and occasionally meting out the consequences of poor performance. Paradoxically, this is an essential component of having a safe, happy and effective learning environment.
When the teachers all turn out as required to do supervision duty except one teacher who always stays in his room, resentment builds among teachers who end up covering for the missing person.
When a staff member is consistently abrasive and sarcastic in meetings, other teachers will limit their participation.
When a teacher doesn't meet reporting deadlines and holds up distribution of report cards for the school, resentment will build.
It is your job to ensure that every staff member carries his load in the collective effort of the school. On the other hand, this is one place where wielding the power of the position can alienate you from the staff and result in a toxic environment. So how do you change negative behavior without making it worse, causing new resentments, alienating staff, contributing to a negative environment?
Think carefully about what you want to achieve. You will have talked with staff personally when they have missed an assignment, been absent from a required event, etc. When these casual conversations have not resulted in changed behavior, you will need to have a private conference to reach some common understandings and agreements. We will look at the private conference in three steps:
A. Consider your overall purpose.
B. Know your basic assumptions
C. Plan your five-step agenda.
When the teachers all turn out as required to do supervision duty except one teacher who always stays in his room, resentment builds among teachers who end up covering for the missing person.
When a staff member is consistently abrasive and sarcastic in meetings, other teachers will limit their participation.
When a teacher doesn't meet reporting deadlines and holds up distribution of report cards for the school, resentment will build.
It is your job to ensure that every staff member carries his load in the collective effort of the school. On the other hand, this is one place where wielding the power of the position can alienate you from the staff and result in a toxic environment. So how do you change negative behavior without making it worse, causing new resentments, alienating staff, contributing to a negative environment?
Think carefully about what you want to achieve. You will have talked with staff personally when they have missed an assignment, been absent from a required event, etc. When these casual conversations have not resulted in changed behavior, you will need to have a private conference to reach some common understandings and agreements. We will look at the private conference in three steps:
A. Consider your overall purpose.
B. Know your basic assumptions
C. Plan your five-step agenda.
Friday, August 27, 2010
c) Extended School Leadership
A school is staffed with highly educated and dedicated teachers. Teachers will generally have earned college degrees in their subject areas. Many will have masters degrees as well. If you can unleash the potential of your teaching force, they will do amazing things for their students.
Think about it. In many schools, teaching is a solitary act. The teacher struggles alone daily to meet the needs of his/her classes, including children with learning or physical disabilities, brilliant and gifted children, children who don't speak English, children who live on the street, children whose parents are involved and anxious, children who are bored, etc. Teachers also, by their very nature, love to learn and love to grow. They did spend all that time going to school to become certified. A system that locks its teachers up alone behind the classroom door with their students' very challenging learning needs is unlikely to see much progress toward improved student achievement. That may be one reason that large numbers of very talented teachers leave the profession in the first five years.
The challenge of the school principal is how to tap into this enormous resource of knowledge and talent that rests within your teaching staff. Think about how to provide leadership opportunities for teachers. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Find out who has particular expertise in an area--literacy, math, science, technology, etc.--and provide incentives and time for those teachers to share their expertise with others.
Encourage and provide time for teachers to observe in other teachers' classrooms.
Provide training on peer coaching skills that help teachers talk about their craft with each other in a non-threatening and reflective way.
Use the bulk of staff meeting time for topics, trainings, and discussions related to instructional issues; have your teacher leaders plan and orchestrate these meetings.
Consider purchasing release time for teacher leaders--one period at a secondary school; one day a week (with a shared teaching assignment) at an elementary school--for planning, coaching, training, working in new teacher classrooms, etc.
Teacher leaders in the school are a part of the expanded leadership team, bringing the classroom teacher's perspective to problem-solving and decision-making at the site. Their presence will bring richer discussions, a broader scope of interest, and a classroom focus to leadership team deliberations.
Think about it. In many schools, teaching is a solitary act. The teacher struggles alone daily to meet the needs of his/her classes, including children with learning or physical disabilities, brilliant and gifted children, children who don't speak English, children who live on the street, children whose parents are involved and anxious, children who are bored, etc. Teachers also, by their very nature, love to learn and love to grow. They did spend all that time going to school to become certified. A system that locks its teachers up alone behind the classroom door with their students' very challenging learning needs is unlikely to see much progress toward improved student achievement. That may be one reason that large numbers of very talented teachers leave the profession in the first five years.
The challenge of the school principal is how to tap into this enormous resource of knowledge and talent that rests within your teaching staff. Think about how to provide leadership opportunities for teachers. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Find out who has particular expertise in an area--literacy, math, science, technology, etc.--and provide incentives and time for those teachers to share their expertise with others.
Encourage and provide time for teachers to observe in other teachers' classrooms.
Provide training on peer coaching skills that help teachers talk about their craft with each other in a non-threatening and reflective way.
Use the bulk of staff meeting time for topics, trainings, and discussions related to instructional issues; have your teacher leaders plan and orchestrate these meetings.
Consider purchasing release time for teacher leaders--one period at a secondary school; one day a week (with a shared teaching assignment) at an elementary school--for planning, coaching, training, working in new teacher classrooms, etc.
Teacher leaders in the school are a part of the expanded leadership team, bringing the classroom teacher's perspective to problem-solving and decision-making at the site. Their presence will bring richer discussions, a broader scope of interest, and a classroom focus to leadership team deliberations.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
b) Administrative Team
What leadership looks like to staff, students, and parents at the school will be based largely on how effective your administrative team is. How visible are you, your assistant principals and deans? How responsive are you? How perceptive of other people's needs? How effective are you in making things happen?
How do you build a high-performing and responsive administrative team? This is one of the most important jobs of the principal--to inspire the best work of the individual administrators and to teach them how working as a team will add major value to their individual effectiveness. If your goal is to develop the very best administrative team possible, where do you begin?
The four phases of team dynamics are detailed in many books and articles under many different names. Here is the common sense truth in just a few words:
Phase 1. Separate individuals come together. Your team begins as separate individuals, each talented in his/her own right, each having taken some required coursework in administration and selected for an administrative position. Each individual is probably willing to work hard in his/her assigned area and wishes to be effective, recognized for that effectiveness, and eligible for promotion sometime in the future. Each will be assessing the others.
Phase 2. They see how their jobs/talents are related. In the process of your assigning areas of responsibility, each administrator should become familiar with who among the group has expertise and interest in which areas. And they should begin to see where they can offer specialized experience and knowledge to help other members of the group. As the new principal, your interest is in ensuring that each member of the team is assigned at least one area where s/he can apply his/her strengths, and at least one new area which will require support, training, growth. This process of assignment and learning is important for the future of the team.
Phase 3. They establish working/communicating relationships. During the first six weeks of school, you will be constantly monitoring the activities of your admin team. You will be setting and clarifying your expectations on a daily basis. You will be recognizing the good things they are doing. And you will be working with them, helping them to reflect on the impact of their behaviors on both the team and on the school as a whole. Remember that your administrators are bright, talented professionals. They will figure out the best operating procedures if you remind them of the goal and give them time to reflect on their own actions.
Phase 4. They enjoy the excitement of being part of a high-performing team. As the team becomes successful and productive, they will receive recognition from the people they are working to serve (as well as you, of course). Reflection on what they are doing and how they are operating together will become a habit that is self-perpetuating.
Your job at this point will be to ensure that the team is aimed in the right direction, that their efforts are on target to attain the school's goals, and that each member is performing to his/ her potential.
How do you build a high-performing and responsive administrative team? This is one of the most important jobs of the principal--to inspire the best work of the individual administrators and to teach them how working as a team will add major value to their individual effectiveness. If your goal is to develop the very best administrative team possible, where do you begin?
The four phases of team dynamics are detailed in many books and articles under many different names. Here is the common sense truth in just a few words:
Phase 1. Separate individuals come together. Your team begins as separate individuals, each talented in his/her own right, each having taken some required coursework in administration and selected for an administrative position. Each individual is probably willing to work hard in his/her assigned area and wishes to be effective, recognized for that effectiveness, and eligible for promotion sometime in the future. Each will be assessing the others.
Phase 2. They see how their jobs/talents are related. In the process of your assigning areas of responsibility, each administrator should become familiar with who among the group has expertise and interest in which areas. And they should begin to see where they can offer specialized experience and knowledge to help other members of the group. As the new principal, your interest is in ensuring that each member of the team is assigned at least one area where s/he can apply his/her strengths, and at least one new area which will require support, training, growth. This process of assignment and learning is important for the future of the team.
Phase 3. They establish working/communicating relationships. During the first six weeks of school, you will be constantly monitoring the activities of your admin team. You will be setting and clarifying your expectations on a daily basis. You will be recognizing the good things they are doing. And you will be working with them, helping them to reflect on the impact of their behaviors on both the team and on the school as a whole. Remember that your administrators are bright, talented professionals. They will figure out the best operating procedures if you remind them of the goal and give them time to reflect on their own actions.
Phase 4. They enjoy the excitement of being part of a high-performing team. As the team becomes successful and productive, they will receive recognition from the people they are working to serve (as well as you, of course). Reflection on what they are doing and how they are operating together will become a habit that is self-perpetuating.
Your job at this point will be to ensure that the team is aimed in the right direction, that their efforts are on target to attain the school's goals, and that each member is performing to his/ her potential.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
a) Office Staff
Whether you are in a small school and your only office staff is a secretary, or you are in a large school with several secretaries and clerks handling registration, attendance, tardies, budget, facilities bookings, student data management, report cards, trancripts, career testing and advisement, etc., the premise of service to the school and community remains the same. Everyone on your broadly defined office and leadership team must be aware of your commitment to serve your clients (students, staff, parents, community members) with good will, good humor, patience, and clarity.
What does this look like? And how do your office staff acquire a clear understanding of what it looks like? The most effective way to grow an effective office team is to give them the time to discuss these concepts, to agree on what exemplary service looks like in their area, and to make a commitment to developing that exemplary environment.
A meeting to discuss these things might have a five-part agenda to do a gap analysis as follows:
Part 1: What does an ideal, service oriented, office environment look like? What do people do and say? How do they handle complaints? solve problems? (Put all of the ideas up on a board so that people can see what they are creating.) (15-30 minutes)
Part 2: What does our own office environment look like? What do we do and say? How do we handle complaints? solve problems? (Put all of the ideas up on a board so that people can see how they see themselves; people may have great fun laughing at some of the things they do.) (15-30 minutes)
Part 3: Make a list of the gaps between the ideal environment that the group has defined and the actual existing environment. (10-20 minutes)
Part 4: Have the group discuss what they need to do to make things better for themselves and others. Have them decide what they can commit to for the next month and how they will determine their own success at the end of the month. (15-30 minutes)
Part 5: Set up next steps, including the date that they will meet again to assess their progress toward creating that exemplary work/office environment. This follow-up step is super important. (5-10 minutes)
This could be a very productive hour-long meeting (two hours if you have the time and they get into it). Unleash the creativity of the people around you and they will surprise you with what they can do. And they will be surprised by how much fun they can have doing it.
What does this look like? And how do your office staff acquire a clear understanding of what it looks like? The most effective way to grow an effective office team is to give them the time to discuss these concepts, to agree on what exemplary service looks like in their area, and to make a commitment to developing that exemplary environment.
A meeting to discuss these things might have a five-part agenda to do a gap analysis as follows:
Part 1: What does an ideal, service oriented, office environment look like? What do people do and say? How do they handle complaints? solve problems? (Put all of the ideas up on a board so that people can see what they are creating.) (15-30 minutes)
Part 2: What does our own office environment look like? What do we do and say? How do we handle complaints? solve problems? (Put all of the ideas up on a board so that people can see how they see themselves; people may have great fun laughing at some of the things they do.) (15-30 minutes)
Part 3: Make a list of the gaps between the ideal environment that the group has defined and the actual existing environment. (10-20 minutes)
Part 4: Have the group discuss what they need to do to make things better for themselves and others. Have them decide what they can commit to for the next month and how they will determine their own success at the end of the month. (15-30 minutes)
Part 5: Set up next steps, including the date that they will meet again to assess their progress toward creating that exemplary work/office environment. This follow-up step is super important. (5-10 minutes)
This could be a very productive hour-long meeting (two hours if you have the time and they get into it). Unleash the creativity of the people around you and they will surprise you with what they can do. And they will be surprised by how much fun they can have doing it.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Building Leadership Teams
At the core of your leadership effectiveness is the team that works from the main office of the school. In a small school, this may be just you and your secretary. In a large school, this may include a number of assistant principals, deans, counselors, activities and athletic directors, and clerical staff. Whatever the size of your office-based group, your first focus will be to see that they view themselves as a team, that they know their respective and collective responsibilities, and that they understand your expectations for them.
What do you want people to think and say about your leadership team? What kind of atmosphere do you want people to experience when they walk into the front office? When you meet with your new office-based staff, what are the important topics that you will want them to think about and discuss? What are your expectations?
Consider these three groups with whom you are in direct contact on a daily basis and who represent the school leadership to the staff, students and community:
a) the school office staff,
b) the co-administrators (assistant principals and deans), and
c) the extended school leadership team (including teachers who have part-time release from the classroom to serve leadership or administrative functions).
These groups represent the school's leadership. It is your responsibility to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities in this regard and that they understand the impact of their behaviors on the learning environment. So how might you go about working with each group to create enthusiasm and energy as they go about their jobs? Next we will look at how you might work with each group to build a high-performing team.
And remember Rule #2 Keep a smile on your face. Have fun! This will ensure that people around you also feel like smiling. And that is a most important factor for success.
What do you want people to think and say about your leadership team? What kind of atmosphere do you want people to experience when they walk into the front office? When you meet with your new office-based staff, what are the important topics that you will want them to think about and discuss? What are your expectations?
Consider these three groups with whom you are in direct contact on a daily basis and who represent the school leadership to the staff, students and community:
a) the school office staff,
b) the co-administrators (assistant principals and deans), and
c) the extended school leadership team (including teachers who have part-time release from the classroom to serve leadership or administrative functions).
These groups represent the school's leadership. It is your responsibility to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities in this regard and that they understand the impact of their behaviors on the learning environment. So how might you go about working with each group to create enthusiasm and energy as they go about their jobs? Next we will look at how you might work with each group to build a high-performing team.
And remember Rule #2 Keep a smile on your face. Have fun! This will ensure that people around you also feel like smiling. And that is a most important factor for success.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Months 7-9 Re-entry and Splashdown
The challenge of this quarter is that excitement builds in the school in the springtime as preparation is made for the re-entry and splashdown of this year's space ride. At a high school, your attention will turn particularly to ensuring that all students stay safe through graduation. At the same time, you will be working primarily on preparations for the following year. You will be working daily with two different schools--the current year and the following year.
In the current year's school, you will see such things as:
a) Preparation for standardized testing,
b) Staff evaluations and tenure decisions,
c) Preparation for year-end award ceremonies, concerts, performances,
d) Graduation events and celebrations, (college acceptance and rejection letters)
e) Student activities and field trips,
f) Assessment of progress made on goals (both school and individual),
g) Student progress and summer school needs.
For the coming year, you will see such things as:
a) Enrollment projections,
b) Facilities and budget needs,
c) Staff hiring processes,
d) Enrollment of new students and course selections,
e) Master schedule building,
f) Setting next year's goals for the school and in staff evaluation write-ups,
g) Planning for professional development,
h) Confirming school start-up processes
i) Planning any changes needed for any of the school's operational systems for the following year. (Changes to any major systems will require processes that begin in the fall and continue consensus-building throughout the school year. But this third quarter is when decisions and operational details will have to be confirmed.)
Because of the need to keep the lid on the school as graduation approaches and the need to focus carefully on the details of planning for the next school year, this quarter is the most intense and hectic time for any building principal. Everything that you can do before the last three months needs to be finished and put away before the last quarter.
It is important to be looking forward and getting things done ahead of time in order to ensure that your attention is where it needs to be during re-entry and splashdown!
In the current year's school, you will see such things as:
a) Preparation for standardized testing,
b) Staff evaluations and tenure decisions,
c) Preparation for year-end award ceremonies, concerts, performances,
d) Graduation events and celebrations, (college acceptance and rejection letters)
e) Student activities and field trips,
f) Assessment of progress made on goals (both school and individual),
g) Student progress and summer school needs.
For the coming year, you will see such things as:
a) Enrollment projections,
b) Facilities and budget needs,
c) Staff hiring processes,
d) Enrollment of new students and course selections,
e) Master schedule building,
f) Setting next year's goals for the school and in staff evaluation write-ups,
g) Planning for professional development,
h) Confirming school start-up processes
i) Planning any changes needed for any of the school's operational systems for the following year. (Changes to any major systems will require processes that begin in the fall and continue consensus-building throughout the school year. But this third quarter is when decisions and operational details will have to be confirmed.)
Because of the need to keep the lid on the school as graduation approaches and the need to focus carefully on the details of planning for the next school year, this quarter is the most intense and hectic time for any building principal. Everything that you can do before the last three months needs to be finished and put away before the last quarter.
It is important to be looking forward and getting things done ahead of time in order to ensure that your attention is where it needs to be during re-entry and splashdown!
Months 4-6 Time in Orbit
If months 1-3 are blasting off with all systems working, then months 4-6 are settling into orbit. This will be your most productive time--time when you will make the most headway toward the school's goals. Some of the events that will occur during these months are:
a) Mid-year student progress and support needs,
b) Program adjustments; work to strengthen curriculum and instruction,
c) Mid-year teacher assessments and support needs,
d) Professional development assessments and adjustments,
e) Classroom observations and teacher conferences,
f) Course catalog publication for the following year,
g) Student course selection process for the following year,
h) Liaison with feeder schools re the following year,
i) Gathering staff intentions and hiring needs for following year,
j) Work on school goals, gather performance and attitude data for planning purposes,
k) Unexpected challenges and media coverage.
This will be the time when teachers concentrate fully on ensuring the best possible learning environment and will see their students making progress in their studies. This will be the time when students who are unable to concentrate or who are behind in their studies will fall out of the system without extra attention and help. Plan to give your attention and focus to supporting the classroom during this time.
a) Mid-year student progress and support needs,
b) Program adjustments; work to strengthen curriculum and instruction,
c) Mid-year teacher assessments and support needs,
d) Professional development assessments and adjustments,
e) Classroom observations and teacher conferences,
f) Course catalog publication for the following year,
g) Student course selection process for the following year,
h) Liaison with feeder schools re the following year,
i) Gathering staff intentions and hiring needs for following year,
j) Work on school goals, gather performance and attitude data for planning purposes,
k) Unexpected challenges and media coverage.
This will be the time when teachers concentrate fully on ensuring the best possible learning environment and will see their students making progress in their studies. This will be the time when students who are unable to concentrate or who are behind in their studies will fall out of the system without extra attention and help. Plan to give your attention and focus to supporting the classroom during this time.
Months 1-3 Blast Off
Expand your vision to include the full school year as a whole. During the first quarter you blast off into the new year with great energy and excitement. You can expect to observe, analyze, and debrief many of the following events as you plan what they should look like in the following year.
a) Enrollment, registration,
b) Start-up of classes and orientation,
c) First meetings with staff, students, and parents, and Open House night
d) Support system for new teachers,
e) First classroom observations and individual goal-setting with staff,
f) Student report cards and identification of students at risk,
g) Review and discussion of student assessment data from the previous year and the effectiveness of the school's curricular programs,
h) Supervision of athletics and student activities,
i) Student college and career advisement,
j) Implementation of professional development activities,
k) New course development for the following year,
l) Textbook selection processes for the following year
m) Systems monitoring (budget, facilities, attendance, maintenance, busing, discipline, etc.)
In your first year as principal, your purpose is to understand how all of these systems and events work, what needs to happen to improve them for next year, and what are the priorities for discussion (since you will need to limit your school's focus efforts to just a few important areas that support the goals).
Enjoy the excitement of blasting off into the school year and getting all systems up and running!
a) Enrollment, registration,
b) Start-up of classes and orientation,
c) First meetings with staff, students, and parents, and Open House night
d) Support system for new teachers,
e) First classroom observations and individual goal-setting with staff,
f) Student report cards and identification of students at risk,
g) Review and discussion of student assessment data from the previous year and the effectiveness of the school's curricular programs,
h) Supervision of athletics and student activities,
i) Student college and career advisement,
j) Implementation of professional development activities,
k) New course development for the following year,
l) Textbook selection processes for the following year
m) Systems monitoring (budget, facilities, attendance, maintenance, busing, discipline, etc.)
In your first year as principal, your purpose is to understand how all of these systems and events work, what needs to happen to improve them for next year, and what are the priorities for discussion (since you will need to limit your school's focus efforts to just a few important areas that support the goals).
Enjoy the excitement of blasting off into the school year and getting all systems up and running!
View the Full Year Calendar
I keep saying to step back from the immediate day-to-day operations so that you can see how the processes and systems work to support students and teachers. As the principal, you take a constantly analytical view to see how you can work with people to make things better.
This "stepping back" also applies to how you view time. It is so easy to get sucked into the immediacy and urgency of today's latest crisis. You must constantly pull yourself out of that sense of urgency and into the perspective of the long-term.
School years are cyclical. The only way that you can ensure that next year's processes are better than this year's processes is to run your own mini improvement cycle on each event as the school year progresses. In your first year as principal, you may be reviewing rather than planning for each event. But after every event, you have the opportunity and the obligation to debrief, assess, and pre-plan for the following year. You will see the importance of this cycle when your focus includes the future and your planning is always a year ahead.
Start by reviewing your calendar for the full year so that you have firmly fixed in your mind each of the important events and each deadline. Plan well ahead and see not only what is coming up but how it fits with everything else. Allow yourself the time to ensure that you are prepared and have thought about the event from multiple perspectives.
This "stepping back" also applies to how you view time. It is so easy to get sucked into the immediacy and urgency of today's latest crisis. You must constantly pull yourself out of that sense of urgency and into the perspective of the long-term.
School years are cyclical. The only way that you can ensure that next year's processes are better than this year's processes is to run your own mini improvement cycle on each event as the school year progresses. In your first year as principal, you may be reviewing rather than planning for each event. But after every event, you have the opportunity and the obligation to debrief, assess, and pre-plan for the following year. You will see the importance of this cycle when your focus includes the future and your planning is always a year ahead.
Start by reviewing your calendar for the full year so that you have firmly fixed in your mind each of the important events and each deadline. Plan well ahead and see not only what is coming up but how it fits with everything else. Allow yourself the time to ensure that you are prepared and have thought about the event from multiple perspectives.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Use District Resources
As the new principal, you are responsible for ensuring that your school has sufficient resources and that you are able to get things done that your school needs. District-based services are essential to the school's operations. What does a medium-sized district typically provide for the schools?
Consider the following samples of services you can tap for your school:
1. Curriculum development and analysis expertise.
2. New teacher coaching and training.
3. Meeting facilitation and staff development.
4. Data disaggregation and analysis.
5. Knowledge of state and federal compliance issues and requirements.
6. Special education testing, diagnosis, and program development.
7. Program evaluation procedures.
8. Coordinated compliance review processes.
9. Uniform complaint procedures.
10. Collective bargaining agreement negotiations and grievances.
11. General and categorical budget requirements.
12. Transportation and busing schedules.
13. Textbook selection requirements and procedures.
14. Standards for providing public information and media communications.
15. Student expulsion requirements and processes.
16. Crisis and emergency management.
17. Employee benefits and human relations.
18. Food services requirements.
19. Health and human services standards and nurse services.
20. Child welfare and attendance
21. Guidelines and laws regarding use of technology.
22. Building and landscape maintenance.
In your first year as principal, you will want to meet and talk with the people who are assigned to your site to provide services in any of these areas. People naturally respond positively to principals who value and appreciate the services they provide, and who are reasonable in their expectations. In addition, district staff generally have a wealth of information and are eager to answer any questions or provide any data you might require.
Consider the following samples of services you can tap for your school:
1. Curriculum development and analysis expertise.
2. New teacher coaching and training.
3. Meeting facilitation and staff development.
4. Data disaggregation and analysis.
5. Knowledge of state and federal compliance issues and requirements.
6. Special education testing, diagnosis, and program development.
7. Program evaluation procedures.
8. Coordinated compliance review processes.
9. Uniform complaint procedures.
10. Collective bargaining agreement negotiations and grievances.
11. General and categorical budget requirements.
12. Transportation and busing schedules.
13. Textbook selection requirements and procedures.
14. Standards for providing public information and media communications.
15. Student expulsion requirements and processes.
16. Crisis and emergency management.
17. Employee benefits and human relations.
18. Food services requirements.
19. Health and human services standards and nurse services.
20. Child welfare and attendance
21. Guidelines and laws regarding use of technology.
22. Building and landscape maintenance.
In your first year as principal, you will want to meet and talk with the people who are assigned to your site to provide services in any of these areas. People naturally respond positively to principals who value and appreciate the services they provide, and who are reasonable in their expectations. In addition, district staff generally have a wealth of information and are eager to answer any questions or provide any data you might require.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
You and the Superintendent
Just as the Board hires a superintendent and holds that person accountable for the administration of the school district, so the superintendent hires the school principals and holds them accountable for the administration of their schools. In a small district, a new principal can expect to have a direct professional relationship with the superintendent. In a larger district, evaluation of principals may be delegated to an assistant superintendent.
Regardless of who is assigned to be your supervisor/evaluator, it is the superintendent who will make decisions about your performance and your employment. Think of all the ways that the superintendent might gather information about how you are doing. School board members will hear opinions from the community that they pass on to the superintendent. The superintendent will hear opinions from the community and from district and site staff as s/he travels from meeting to social event to school or district activities. If your assigned supervisor is an assistant superintendent, s/he will also be in regular contact with the superintendent.
Think about all of the second-hand sources of information which the superintendent receives about your performance whether s/he asks for it or not. Think about ways that you can keep the superintendent informed directly about issues at your school. Would s/he be interested in walking your campus with you (and your supervisor perhaps) on a monthly basis to hear both the school's successes and its challenges? Would s/he be interested in receiving a short synopsis of the school's efforts on a weekly or monthly basis along with your analysis of progress? (If so, make it short, bulleted, thoughtful, and positive. Never whine. Share it with your supervisor.) The superintendent might pass your short reports on to the school board members for information.
Bottom line, your success as a school principal is of paramount importance not only to your school, but also to the district, the school board, and the superintendent. Many conflicting opinions of events and issues will circulate from time to time. Good information directly from you will likely be welcome.
Regardless of who is assigned to be your supervisor/evaluator, it is the superintendent who will make decisions about your performance and your employment. Think of all the ways that the superintendent might gather information about how you are doing. School board members will hear opinions from the community that they pass on to the superintendent. The superintendent will hear opinions from the community and from district and site staff as s/he travels from meeting to social event to school or district activities. If your assigned supervisor is an assistant superintendent, s/he will also be in regular contact with the superintendent.
Think about all of the second-hand sources of information which the superintendent receives about your performance whether s/he asks for it or not. Think about ways that you can keep the superintendent informed directly about issues at your school. Would s/he be interested in walking your campus with you (and your supervisor perhaps) on a monthly basis to hear both the school's successes and its challenges? Would s/he be interested in receiving a short synopsis of the school's efforts on a weekly or monthly basis along with your analysis of progress? (If so, make it short, bulleted, thoughtful, and positive. Never whine. Share it with your supervisor.) The superintendent might pass your short reports on to the school board members for information.
Bottom line, your success as a school principal is of paramount importance not only to your school, but also to the district, the school board, and the superintendent. Many conflicting opinions of events and issues will circulate from time to time. Good information directly from you will likely be welcome.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Board & Superintendent: Policies
How does the principalship fit into the governance and administration hierarchy of the school district? To whom are you responsible? Who will decide whether you return as principal next year? How do you build a solid, positive relationship with your supervisor?
First, how do you fit in the hierarchy? School districts typically have governing boards--5, 7, or 9 members elected by the local community. This Board of Trustees is charged with hiring one employee who is responsible directly to them for the administration of their district: the superintendent. And they are responsible for approving or disapproving such things as budget, negotiated settlements, construction plans, local parcel tax elections, textbook selections, strategic planning, setting goals for the District, etc. along with policies and administrative procedures on a far-ranging number of topics specified by law.
As a principal, you administer the Board policies and procedures in your school. For example, what is the board policy about how parent complaints are to be handled? What is the board policy about student discipline, suspensions, and expulsions? What is the board policy about field trips for students? What about teacher requests for leaves of absence? What is the board policy about employee evaluation, discipline, dismissal?
The Board Policy Manual will be in written form and available to you to keep on your desk as a reference, or it will be available as an on-line reference. Make it a habit to review policy when faced with an unfamiliar issue. Get acquainted with the person at the district office who is most familiar with policies affecting the schools. Sometimes a quick phone call to a knowledgeable person will point you directly to the policy involved.
First, how do you fit in the hierarchy? School districts typically have governing boards--5, 7, or 9 members elected by the local community. This Board of Trustees is charged with hiring one employee who is responsible directly to them for the administration of their district: the superintendent. And they are responsible for approving or disapproving such things as budget, negotiated settlements, construction plans, local parcel tax elections, textbook selections, strategic planning, setting goals for the District, etc. along with policies and administrative procedures on a far-ranging number of topics specified by law.
As a principal, you administer the Board policies and procedures in your school. For example, what is the board policy about how parent complaints are to be handled? What is the board policy about student discipline, suspensions, and expulsions? What is the board policy about field trips for students? What about teacher requests for leaves of absence? What is the board policy about employee evaluation, discipline, dismissal?
The Board Policy Manual will be in written form and available to you to keep on your desk as a reference, or it will be available as an on-line reference. Make it a habit to review policy when faced with an unfamiliar issue. Get acquainted with the person at the district office who is most familiar with policies affecting the schools. Sometimes a quick phone call to a knowledgeable person will point you directly to the policy involved.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Know Your District Office
You're the new principal. Part of your job is to make sure that things happen for your school. You need to get sufficient resources, ensure that the campus is clean and in good repair and that the grounds are well kept, acquire adequate staff, have busses that run when they are needed, etc. The major support systems for your school reside at the district central office. District-based staff have much information about budget, maintenance, food services, bussing, field trips, negotiations, collective bargaining agreements, enrollment projections, construction of housing in the community and so many more things.
To make things happen for your school, you need the support of central office staff. Know who they are; cultivate good relations; take the time to meet them personally. Here's the best thing: drop in to meet the staff who support your school. Introduce yourself. Ask if they prefer to communicate by email or telephone. Find out the best number to use to reach them. Above all, thank them for all of the good work they do for the schools. This is the beginning of your establishing a network of relationships to get things done for your school.
As a new principal, you are just beginning to step back and acquire a broader view of your school and your role as a leader. Once you are able to view your school from a broad perspective, you need to step back further still and see your school as part of a school district. Ask yourself where your school fits within the district. How do people at the central office view the school? And why do they view it that way?
In addition the district has probably committed all schools to a strategic plan and both long-term and annual goals. They will have certain curriculum emphases and planned professional development activities and opportunities for all staff. Plan to work with the District, to coordinate your activities with District activities, to maximize the benefits which the District can provide.
To make things happen for your school, you need the support of central office staff. Know who they are; cultivate good relations; take the time to meet them personally. Here's the best thing: drop in to meet the staff who support your school. Introduce yourself. Ask if they prefer to communicate by email or telephone. Find out the best number to use to reach them. Above all, thank them for all of the good work they do for the schools. This is the beginning of your establishing a network of relationships to get things done for your school.
As a new principal, you are just beginning to step back and acquire a broader view of your school and your role as a leader. Once you are able to view your school from a broad perspective, you need to step back further still and see your school as part of a school district. Ask yourself where your school fits within the district. How do people at the central office view the school? And why do they view it that way?
In addition the district has probably committed all schools to a strategic plan and both long-term and annual goals. They will have certain curriculum emphases and planned professional development activities and opportunities for all staff. Plan to work with the District, to coordinate your activities with District activities, to maximize the benefits which the District can provide.
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